


Milkshake

by oui_merci



Category: The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Comfort, Depression, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, High School AU, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 02:44:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14071197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oui_merci/pseuds/oui_merci
Summary: Newt wasn’t planning on having a fifteenth birthday, but he gets one anyway.





	Milkshake

Newt wasn’t planning on having a fifteenth birthday, but he gets one anyway.

It’s a small birthday party of three: him his mum and his sister Lizzy. He pretends to make a wish and blows out the candles, and they cut the cake with a pink plastic knife. They each have a slice and the rest goes into the fridge for tomorrow’s breakfast.

After that they put on a cartoon for Lizzy while his mum does the dishes. He’s about to go into his room that they had moved to the ground floor when the doorbell rings.

I got it, his mum shouts from the kitchen, and he hears her footsteps patter down the hall. After a while he hears her call from the foyer. Sam, honey, it’s for you.

He gets up from the chair he just got into, takes his crutches and walks down the hall. His mum is talking to somebody at the door, and she turns around when he hears him and says, It’s Minho.

Hey, the boy says.

Minho says you know each other from track.

Yeah, he says.

I’ll leave you two to talk, and his mum disappears back into the kitchen.

Hi, he says when he reaches the door.

Hey. Minho smiles and shoves his hands into the pockets of his track top. I didn’t know your name was Sam.

Just my mum calls me that. he says.

Minho takes something out of his pocket. I got somethin’ for you, he says, and hands him a light blue envelope.

He takes it and opens it. Inside is a get well card with signatures from the track team. Get Well Soon! Hope to see you at the tournament. We Miss You Shank.

He folds it close and tucks it back into the envelope. thanks, he says.

Heyum, you doing anything later? Minho asks.

Newt looks up from his shoes for the first time.

Um… I was just going to finish this essay for Janson’s class…

Cool, Minho says. You wanna go get Lucky’s or somethin’?

Get what?

Lucky’s. It’s a burger joint. Minho says. They got real good milkshakes. He takes a look at his watch. We’ll be back before ten.

I’ll drive, he says and thumbs at a car parked in front of their house.

He looks at the car. He hasn’t stepped outside the house for a week except for grocery/post office runs with his mother. Sure, he says even though they just had dinner. Let me ask my mum.

He walks back into the kitchen and asks his mother if he can go get Lucky’s burgers. Minho’s driving. We’ll be back before ten.

She looks up from the sink and pushes a strand of hair out of her face with the back of a soapy hand. Sure. she says. Can we make it nine?

Yeah I’ll ask, he says.

Ok. His mum spits out some soap suds and smiles. For a second I thought you were asking me if you could go get lucky.

He rolls his eyes at her and walks down the hall back to the door.

Minho looks up from the front steps.

Hey… can we make it nine?

Yeah, that’s cool. Minho says. No problem.

Cool, he says.

He puts the card on his desk and stashes a few bills down his jeans pocket and goes out the door. Outside Minho is starting up the engine. He helps him get in the car and the crutches too and they’re off.

The drive is a bit more than twenty minutes around some blocks he knows and then suddenly onto a street he’s never been. There’s music blasting through the speakers the whole time, and whenever the bass drops he feels it reverberate in his body. It’s like a punch in the chest except warm and fuzzy.

Lucky’s sits right by the road with a big green neon sign flashing Charbroiled, underneath it ¼ lb hamburger. They pull into the parking lot and Minho kills the engine.

It’s surprisingly cold when he steps out the car and, clutching his crutches, he has a sneezing fit. He forgot to bring a jacket, and Minho insists on throwing his tracksuit jacket around Newt’s shoulders. He’s wearing just a grey tee underneath. I’m too hot to get cold, Minho says.

They read the menu in the greenish-white fluorescent lights and order a cheeseburger and fries and a milkshake.

As they’re waiting for their order he decides to ask Minho a question but it comes out more mundane than it sounds in his head, Have you been here before?

Yeah a couple times. We go to another place now but before you joined we used to come here after practice and get junk food sometimes.

Oh, nice, he says. Our order’s up I think.

Minho grabs their tray and they sit down on one of the stone benches facing the back lot. Minho peels at the wrapper on the cheeseburger and Newt has the milkshake. Neither of them are really hungry but The milkshake tastes nice, he says.

I know right? Minho takes the milkshake and takes a sip on the straw. Oh man. Yeah, it’s good. Just like I remembered. And gives it back to Newt. The paper cup starts sweating a little against his palms and he feels the foamy drink slosh around in it as he stirs with the straw.

How’s uh, how’s your leg? Minho says holding the burger.

His eyes cast down at the cheeseburger between Minho’s fingers and he thinks about what to say.

It’s… I mean it’s broken in three different places. It’s gonna take a while. all this. He gestures at the crutches and tries but fails to put on a small smile.

Minho nods looking down at his hands.

So uh, he says. Coach wanted to tell you that… you know the tournament’s coming up next month and uh he wanted to ask if you wanna come.

He wanted to let you know you can come, too, you know, if you want.

He looks at Minho.

Yeah, with your leg and everythin’. Minho says.

He looks away. I don’t- i don’t think so. i don’t want to be a burden. His eyes find the dark silhouette of a dumpster in the parking lot and he fixes his gaze onto it.

i mean- sorry for causing you trouble. i mean i basically bailed out on the team.

Oh no, don’t worry about it. Minho says. I mean, yeah, it’s a shame cause you’re pretty fast, but yeah, no. Don’t worry about it. We got it sorted out.

did you find someone to replace me for the relay? he asks.

Minho nods beside him. Yeah. We moved Ben to your place. There was some switchin’ around, and then we added a greenie.

oh. who’s going last then? he says.

Me I guess, Minho says.

that’s good. you’re fast. i hope you guys win some medals.

Yeah. Me too.

They stare off into the parking lot as he takes sips of the milkshake and Minho finishes the burger. The fries go cold in the silence untouched. Minho crumples up the wrapper in his fist and Newt is about to get up when the boy says, Oh, just one more thing.

He reaches into his back pocket and takes out a small brown envelope.

Happy birthday, he says.

Newt stares at him blankly.

It’s for you, Minho says.

He sets down the milkshake and wipes his icy fingers on his jeans. The kraft paper feels smooth under his thumb. how… how did you know?

Minho shrugs. I um, by asking? You can open it.

It’s light in his hands and there’s something inside that doesn’t feel like paper. When he gives it a little shake a bracelet slides out into his palm. It’s a thin rainbow-colored bracelet made of thread. The kind he’s seen a lot of girls at school wear with their besties. A friendship bracelet.

Did you make this? he asks.

Yeah, Minho says. Well uh, most of it, yeah. My mom helped a little. I picked the colors.

He feels the tiny braids brush against his skin as he tugs it lightly over the back of his wrist. thanks, he says, and he pretends to wipe his face against a shoulder to hide his stupid grin.

You want me to help you with that? Minho asks.

He scratches at his chin nervously and realizes his face is burning up.

Y-yeah. ok.

Minho’s fingers are calloused but light when they brush against his wrist.

Not too tight?

No. It’s good.

His hands work deftly around the bracelet and tie the ends together in a knot. A rainbow around his wrist.

Yeah, Minho says, admiring his own work. You’re welcome.

Newt turns the brown envelope over in his other hand. On the back there’s a string of numbers written in black marker pen.

What’s this? he asks.

That’s my number, Minho says. In case you change your mind about the tournament, you know.

Ok, he says. Carefully he folds up the envelope half-way down the crease and pockets it.

Minho glances at his watch. We should probably head back.

Yeah, he says. And they walk back to the car.

The drive back feels somewhat shorter. All the while his fingers brushing against the bracelet around his wrist. When they get back the lights to the living room are still on. Minho waits for him to cross their front yard and watches him go up the steps. He closes the door and hears the car pull away.

His mum is asleep on the couch in the living room, with the TV on mute. He walks over to pick up the remote control and turns it off. Suddenly she’s awake. Hey honey, she says, rubbing at her face. Did you have fun?

Yeah, he says. The milkshake was good.

It was? His mum says through a sleepy smile.

Is Lizzy asleep? he asks.

Yeah, I just put her to bed, she says as she gets up from her seat. Next she walks over and gives his shoulder a light squeeze. She plants a kiss on his forehead.

Did you take your medicine? she asks, chin resting on the top of his head.

I was gonna, he says, feeling the envelope in his pocket.

Ok. Lights out at ten, ok?

Yeah.

His mother lets go of him and starts down the hallway. Then she stops midway and turns and says, Nice jacket by the way.

Newt looks down. He’s still wearing Minho’s track top.

Before he turns out the lights that night he picks up the get well card and reads it again before setting it on the nightstand.

Then he reaches into his pocket for Minho’s envelope.

He flips it to the back and texts the number on it.

It doesn’t take more than a few seconds before his phone buzzes,

Hey that’s cool

You can bring it

Next time we meet yeah?

He reads it three times before he turns off the lights and lies on his back watching the light coming from the hallway.

The bracelet coiled around his wrist as light as an insect’s feet.

He closes his eyes, and sleeps.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I have a soft spot for Minewt High School AUs, cause they really are just kids, and decided to take a shot at it.  
> All feedback is welcome! xoxo


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